Last week Ubisoft invited a group of journalists, including myself, to its San Francisco-based studio to check out the company’s upcoming slate of titles on Nintendo platforms. One such title was the MotionPlus-exclusive Red Steel 2, the in-name sequel to 2006’s Wii launch effort. Does the title break new ground in an oft-attempted and admittedly crowded genre? Read on for thoughts.

Controls

In terms of pure mechanics, Red Steel 2 plays completely different than its predecessor. This particular attribute is perhaps one of its most redeeming qualities and is what drew even cynical types to the sequel in the first place. The enhanced motion-sensing precision offered by the MotionPlus attachment is used to accurately gauge the sheer amount of force that a player puts into their sword swing, determining the final impact and damage dealt by a blow.

Suffice to say, it works well: the combat is incredibly satisfying, requiring players to put in a considerable amount of force to pull off a hard-hitting blow that can damage foes donning steel armor suits. If I had to pick a single title to show off the potential of MotionPlus to core gamers, Red Steel 2 would be it.

Beyond slicing and dicing foes, the control setup is rather simplistic, with the Wiimote handling crosshair movement, allowing players to simply aim and shoot at surrounding enemies. The Nunchuck analog is used to move your character in a specific direction. I personally found aiming to be overly sensitive, especially if standing in close proximity to the TV being played on. Granted, this is more of a subjective matter, so including options to adjust sensitivity in the final product would be an elegant way of appeasing all preferences.

The inclusion of MotionPlus also adds a blocking mechanic to combat situations. By holding the Wiimote in a defensive stance, it is possible to deflect bullets and enemy sword strikes at will. This is a neat little addition that further elevates the sheer intensity of combat situations.

While the controls in Red Steel 2 are admittedly great, that’s not to say everything is without quirks. In the level we tested, when met with a sliding closed steel door, players were forced to go straight up to the door and press Z to enter a brief sequence in which an on-screen indicator instructs you to hit the door handle with your sword, as shown above. I found this to serve as an unnecessary break in the flow of action. The doors can stay, but having to press Z seems to be an unneeded extra step. Just being able to walk up to these doors and start whacking at the handle to open them would suffice. Again, it’s a minor nuisance, one that I would like to see rectified, but if not, no biggie.

Graphics

Taking place in an arid desert setting, graphics in Red Steel 2 are equally as impressive. Sporting cel-shaded environments, it forgoes the industrialized look of the original. At the same time, however, it balances the line between cartoony and realistic. This type of art style lends well to the graphical capabilities of Wii.

Pacing

My time with Red Steel 2 was limited, with only the E3 demo level being available, which clocks in at around 20 minutes on a initial play-through. On a second run, this same level can be completed in around half that time. While this particular level was linear in scope, creative director Jason Vandenberghe assured that the actual game will offer more in the way of freedom. Rather than being forced to play level by level in a sequential manner, the aim is to let players select between missions at various points in the story. He likened the world outside of missions as a sort of hub, in which players are given the choice of choosing their next move.

Final Thoughts

Due out this fall, Red Steel 2 is shaping up to be one of Ubi’s star titles, next to Splinter Cell: Conviction and Assassin’s Creed 2. It takes the ultra cool but not-very-well executed premise of the original and molds it into satisfying and highly stylized experience. For those that walked away disappointed from the original, it’s recommended to play Red Steel 2 in a fresh mindset, as for all intents and purposes, the sequel has no real connection to its predecessor apart from copious amounts of sword and gunplay.

From an interactive standpoint, I feel as if Red Steel 2 redefines the genre of traditional hack n’ slash samurai titles. The level of interaction and player-character connection that it brings to the table is an attribute that no other title in the action space can match at this point. If what I experienced in the first 20 or so minutes of this demo is an indicator of how the rest of the game will play out, Wii owners are in for a real treat come later this fall.

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